Chapter 19: Blowing a Job Interview
The six ponies were once again at the park, only things were suddenly a lot more awkward. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were still relieved about the apology, although being together now felt more uncomfortable than it should have been. Fluttershy was confused about her relationship with Pinkie Pie, and seeing the psychologist had only made things more difficult to understand for some reason. Rarity was just trying to stay as far away from Twilight as possible and was relieved that Spike had decided not to tag along, or was she worried that the dragon was becoming a recluse? Anyway, somepony eventually noticed all of the awkward tension and decided to say something.
"Hey," Pinkie Pie said, "what gives?" The other ponies stared at her out of bewilderment. Pinkie Pie looked around as if she had said something dirty.
"What are you talking about?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I mean everypony's acting weirder than usual, and if I think everypony's acting weird, then things must be really weird. Don't you agree, Twilight?"
"Well, I guess..." Twilight said, not sure what all the discomfort was about, as she was feeling none of it. Well, maybe a little bit with Applejack, but having just kissed her brother a night ago she thought she understood.
"How are we acting weird?" Rainbow Dash asked. Pinkie Pie took a deep breath and started spouting some unusually sharp insights.
"Well...you and Applejack look like you're trying to get along but you really don't know how, Fluttershy's been looking at me really strangely, and Rarity looks like she doesn't want to be anywhere near Twilight. That about sums it up for me." Fluttershy recoiled, Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked skeptically at each other, and Rarity started shaking with panic. Twilight and Rainbow Dash noticed these things and scratched their heads with their hooves.
At this point, Angel nudged Fluttershy with his foot and pointed at Pinkie Pie, demanding that Fluttershy smooth things over with the pink mare.
"Oh, Pinkie Pie, I'm ever so sorry," Fluttershy said. "I didn't mean to make things awkward for you, it's just...well, you know."
"Know what? Oh, right..." Pinkie Pie said.
"Hey," Rainbow Dash said. "What are you two talking about?"
"Nothing!" Pinkie Pie said all too emphatically. Fluttershy cowered behind her mane, but Rainbow Dash shook her head and sighed, indicating that she hadn't the energy to pursue any further questions.
"And Pinkie Pie," Applejack said, "you know ah talked to ya about what was up, but ah promise ya that Rainbow and ah are keener on each other than peaches and cream, so don't you worry yer little head about us."
"Um...what she said," Rainbow Dash said.
"Okay!" Pinkie Pie said. "And what about you, Rarity?" Rarity darted her eyes as if looking for a way out, and she could have sworn she was starting to sweat, or was it just the hot sun?
"I...there's nothing wrong with me!" Rarity said. "It's just an ill reaction to the heat, is all." Rarity smiled, hoping she had convinced somepony to believe the lie. Pinkie Pie bought it.
"I guess it is pretty hot out here," she said.
In more ways than one, thought Rarity.
"So, now that that's been cleared up, who wants to have a pet race?" Pinkie Pie asked. Nopony looked eager to participate, so Pinkie Pie sighed and walked over to Fluttershy to speak to her privately. Rainbow Dash flew off with Applejack and Winona, leaving Rarity feeling very nervous around Twilight.
"I probably shouldn't have said anything," Pinkie Pie said to Fluttershy. "I'm really sorry."
"It's okay, Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy said. "Don't worry about it."
"But I want to know what's upsetting you," Pinkie Pie said. I feel bad for bringing it up in the first place."
"You don't have to feel bad," Fluttershy said, "that is, if you don't want to, I mean, not that I would ever think you'd want to feel bad, it's just...oh..."
"Fluttershy, remember you can talk to me. Your secrets are safe with me, I pinkie promise!"
"Oh, all right," Fluttershy said. "It's just that I started seeing a doctor about my problems, not that you were a problem, it's just that our relationship brought up some problematic issues for me, not that the relationship was bad, it's just..." Fluttershy squealed in frustration and stomped her hooves.
"Fluttershy, relax, will ya?" Pinkie Pie asked. "You're talking to a friend, not blowing a job interview!"
"Okay," Fluttershy said. "I just want to feel something other than fear for my father and sadness for my mother and I want to become more assertive and I want sex to be a fun thing not something that brings up all these painful memories, that's all."
"That's a bit of a tall order," Pinkie Pie said with a snort. "I hope you found a really good doctor."
"Oh, so you think I'm crazy?" Fluttershy asked, starting to feel hurt. Pinkie Pie emphatically shook her head.
"No no no no no, of course not!" she said. "But everypony has some issues they need to resolve, and some ponies have more issues than others. I mean, look at me! I grew up on a rock farm with a really sad family. It took a lot of work to become the Pinkie Pie I am today. So stick with it, and you'll find a stronger and happier Fluttershy on the other side."
"Thanks, Pinkie Pie. That means a lot."
"You're welcome, Fluttershy," Pinkie Pie said.
As this conversation occurred, Rainbow Dash was talking to Applejack.
"So, what's the deal with us? I thought we were cool," Rainbow Dash said.
"We are cool, but what exactly does cool mean?" Applejack asked.
"You said it. Marefriends. I thought that was pretty clear," Rainbow Dash said.
"Ah wish it were," Applejack said, "but ah ain't never been in no relationship before, and it's so gosh-darned confusin' and all. Ah reckon ah love ya, but what does that even mean? And why did ah get so upset when we fought? Ah mean, ah know why, but it makes no sense. Ah've known ya forever, and we've always gotten into fights, but ah've never felt so strongly about ya before that ah reacted so much, so ah don't know why ah'm makin' such a stink now."
"Easy, Applejack," Rainbow Dash said. "You'll give yourself a headache."
"Ah feel like ah've been in a headache fer weeks," Applejack said. "And ah can't even talk to mah folks about it on account of how they feel about mares datin' other mares." Rainbow Dash suddenly had a brilliant thought that she was eager to share.
"What if you pretended you were dating a stallion. Tell your family you're dating, um...Caramel or something, and tell them all the problems you've been having with him, and see if they'll help you out."
"That's a plum awful idea, RD, sorry to say. Ah can't lie to mah parents like that. Ah'm the Element of Honesty, fer Celestia's sake! And even if ah could tell 'em, they'd wonder why he never bothered to show up to the farm. Things would start looking mighty suspicious mighty quick, ya hear?"
"I hear," Rainbow Dash grumbled. "Sorry. Thought I had a good idea for a second there."
"It's okay, RD, ya can't be smart like Twilight all the time."
"Who said I wanted to be an egghead like Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Rainbow Dash!" Applejack scolded. "How dare ya-?"
"I'm just joking around, AJ. Relax," Rainbow Dash said.
"Right, of course," Applejack said. Applejack and Rainbow Dash glanced briefly at Twilight, who was having a tough time talking to Rarity.
"Rarity, you look about ready to jump out of your horseshoes. Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" Twilight asked of her unicorn friend.
"Of course I'm sure. Why wouldn't I be sure?" Rarity asked, her countenance betraying all sorts of uncertainty.
"Rarity, body language accounts for ninety-three percent of all communication," Twilight said, "and right now, that remaining seven percent doesn't have a lot of support."
"Okay, you got me," Rarity said. "I am feeling awfully stressed out."
"Well, what's bothering you?" Twilight asked. "And why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"It's just so embarrassing," Rarity said. "I have a major order coming up on Tuesday, and I haven't drawn a single sketch for the design yet. I seem to have hit a block in my creativity. It's like my thoughts are going nowhere, like my neurons are firing but nothing is connecting. Do you know the feeling?"
"Only when I'm panicking," Twilight said.
"Well, I'm panicking now, Twilight! I'm panicking now!" Rarity started sobbing uncontrollably, leaving Twilight in the very awkward position of trying to console her. She gave Rarity an unsure hug, hoping her friend would get out of this slump she seemed to have find herself in.
"Oh, I can't stay here!" Rarity cried. "I need to go to work." Rarity ran off without another word, sobbing all the way and nearly forgetting her cat Opal. Twilight watched Rarity's form in shock as Rarity ran off into the horizon. She looked back at the other four ponies, who had also seen Rarity leave without warning, and they looked even more confused than she did.
"What in blazes was that about?" Applejack asked.
"Rarity said she needed to work on an order," Twilight said, "but something doesn't feel right... Do you think I should try to help her?"
"Do what ya think is best," Applejack said.
"I'd go and help her," Rainbow Dash said. "She looked really upset."
"You should go now, Twilight," Fluttershy said. "The sooner the better."
"Yeah, good luck, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie chimed in. The vote was unanimous now.
"All right, I'll head out for the boutique," Twilight said running off in the same direction as Rarity had run.
Rarity ignored the other staring ponies as she galloped through Ponyville proper. When she arrived at her boutique, she went straight to her bedroom and collapsed upon the bed, crying in her pillow and feeling horribly guilty, both for what she had done to Spike and lying to Twilight about it.
But what more could I have done? she asked herself. I can't possibly tell Twilight about the heinous crime I committed and why I did it. I would lose her friendship forever. Oh no, what if Spike blackmails me and threatens to tell Twilight? No, he wouldn't do that, he's not that cruel. But what I did to him was very cruel, so he just might do it out of spite. No, Rarity, there's no time for what-ifs. You need to keep it together and stop worrying so much!
Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and Rarity's heartbeat jumped with the knocks. Even before she heard her friend's voice coming up the stairway through the door, she knew it was Twilight coming to check in on her. Rarity tried to make it look like she was working, but Twilight had apparently let herself in, because before she could get up Twilight opened the bedroom door with magic.
"Excuse me!" Rarity shouted. "A lady never trots in on somepony without being invited in first!"
"I'm really sorry, Rarity. I just wanted to see if you needed any help with your order. Although on second thought, I don't see anything here resembling your work..." This was true; the bedroom was all but immaculate.
"Oh, Twilight, didn't I tell you? I haven't even begun my work yet!" Rarity said with gusto.
"You did say that," Twilight said, "but I would think you'd at least be pacing the room instead of lying in your bed," Twilight said. "Are you sure that's the issue? There isn't anything else bothering you, is there?"
"No, it's this dreaded order," Rarity said. "It's really eating me alive. And I don't know about you, Twilight, but my creativity is dampened the more ponies are in a room with me, so you'd be most helpful away from the boutique. I will have to ask you to leave."
"That's a little rude, don't you think?" Twilight asked. "I came here to help and you're slamming the door in my face."
"Well, since you opened it without my permission, I can close it without yours," Rarity said, and she used her magic to slam the bedroom door shut. Twilight, knowing she was no longer welcome at the boutique, knew it was time to leave.
"What's the matter, Spike?" Ruby asked. The two of them were strolling through Ponyville for their second date, but when Spike had picked Ruby up, she could already tell there was something wrong.
"Great, you too?" Spike asked.
"What are you talking about?" Ruby asked, looking concerned.
"First Twilight thinks there's something wrong, now you start questioning me. It's really annoying," Spike said.
"Well, there's something off about you, Spike, and I could tell the moment you picked me up for this date. Did I do something wrong two days ago? I mean, what's the deal?"
"You didn't do anything," Spike said. Ruby took this the wrong way.
"Were you really expecting me to do that on the first date?" Ruby asked.
"What are you talking about?" Spike asked. Ruby was taken aback.
"Nothing," she said before changing the subject. "I'm just really worried about you, Spike."
"Well, save your worry," Spike said. "I'm fine."
"Well, that's a load of pony manure if I've ever heard it," Ruby said. "There's obviously something bothering you."
"Well, I don't want to talk about it, okay?"
"So there is something wrong," Ruby said.
"Maybe there is, maybe there isn't," Spike countered. "What's it to you?"
"You're unbelievable," Ruby said. "I never thought you could be like this. You're acting like such a dragon right now."
"I am?" Spike asked. "Really? Well, that's just great."
"What are you talking about?" Ruby asked.
"What are you talking about?" Spike asked in return.
"This is pointless!" Ruby barked. "If I'd known you'd act like this, I would have told you not to bother taking me out tonight." For the first time, Spike looked especially sad. Ruby caught the look of sorrow in the dragon's eye and took his claw in her hand.
"I didn't mean that," Ruby said. "I'm sorry."
"No," Spike said. "I'm sorry. I know there's something wrong, but it's too difficult to talk about it."
"You can tell me," Ruby said. "I promise not to tell anyone else."
"There's no point," Spike said. "You can't change the past. Believe me, I saw Twilight try to change the future, and it didn't work out so well."
"Maybe I can't change the past," Ruby said, "but I believe we can change our own futures and challenge our own fates. I know you're better than this, Spike, and no matter what happened to you, I know you'll find the strength to get through it." Spike was touched by the sentiment, but he wasn't able to express how he felt in words. Instead, he kissed Ruby on the cheek. Ruby blushed and her heart melted at the touch. For the first time in two days, Spike dared to allow himself a smile.
"How do I keep bumping into you?" Rainbow Dash asked Pinkie Pie, not willing to admit to herself that perhaps she was purposefully running into the pink mare on purpose. Pinkie Pie, oblivious to this, shook her head.
"I have no idea!" she said. Rainbow Dash sighed and let out a laugh.
"Hey," Pinkie Pie said, "how did things go with Applejack yesterday?"
"They went fine," Rainbow Dash said with a coldness in her voice. Pinkie Pie noticed this but decided not to comment on it. She bounced alongside Rainbow Dash as they made their way through Ponyville, admiring the ponies bustling through their weekends.
"Hey," Pinkie Pie said. "aren't you on duty today?"
"Huh?" Rainbow Dash asked, playing dumb.
"Oh, I'm just saying that I thought I saw you moving some clouds around, so I figured you were working."
"Oh, right. Yeah, I am on duty, but I decided to take a break," Rainbow Dash said. "I am the manager, after all, so I can give myself breaks like that."
"Cool," Pinkie Pie said. "I wish I could do that, but I have to take care of the bakery this afternoon for the Cakes so they can run some errands. Don't get me wrong, it's super-duper fun to run the bakery, but it's a lot of work, too, and I wish I could give myself a break whenever I want."
"Yeah, guess that's just one of the perks of being me," Rainbow Dash said smugly. Pinkie Pie laughed, and her laughter made Rainbow Dash's heart melt.
Don't do this, Rainbow Dash said to herself.
"So when do you have to go back to work?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"Oh, whenever," Rainbow Dash said.
"Really? Aren't you supposed to be responsible enough to not take too long a break?"
"Yeah, but who's going to complain? Nopony's ever complained about it before."
"That's weird," Pinkie Pie said, "because those clouds over there look like they're about to rain and I thought I heard the weather was supposed to be sunny today."
"Aw, we don't always have to have the forecasts totally right," Rainbow Dash said. Pinkie Pie found this even weirder, but this time said nothing about it.
"I hope Rarity's okay," Pinkie Pie said. "I wish we could have done more to help her."
"Should we check up on her?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"No way! We saw Twilight yesterday, remember? Rarity kicked her out of the boutique. I don't want her to treat me like that," Pinkie Pie said. "I hate being rejected..."
Me too, Rainbow Dash thought, and her nerves started to flutter. Her nerves weren't the only thing. Pinkie Pie's tail started twitching.
"Uh-oh!" Pinkie Pie said. "Look out!" Pinkie Pie dove into Rainbow Dash and pushed her out of the way of a falling potted plant. They looked up to see a pony wincing and cursing her sloppy hooves.
"Sorry!" the pony said before shutting her window and going to get the remains of the potted plant.
"That's okay!" Pinkie Pie called up. She stayed atop Rainbow Dash on the ground, and Rainbow Dash looked up at her and was reminded of how beautiful the pink mare was. Without even thinking, she went in for a kiss and caught Pinkie Pie completely off guard. Their lips touched for only a moment before Pinkie Pie broke away in confusion.
"Dashie, what are you doing?" she asked, shocked at Rainbow Dash's move.
"I don't know!" Rainbow Dash cried, looking horrified at what she'd done.
"Are you sure things are okay between you and Applejack?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"Things are great!" Rainbow Dash said.
"Then why did you kiss me?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"I don't know, you were just lying on top of me and I let my instincts get the better of me."
"Instincts?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Does that mean you like me?"
"Yes," Rainbow Dash said. "I mean, no. I mean, I don't know. Look, just let me explain-"
"I think you should go back to work," Pinkie Pie said, cutting Rainbow Dash off. Rainbow Dash sputtered, trying to explain herself, but finding she lacked the words. Instead, she flew off without even saying goodbye, leaving Pinkie Pie winded and terribly confused.
"So," Applejack said to Big Mac as they were working on the orchard," you never did tell me how yer first date with Twilight went."
"Ah didn't?" Big Mac asked, playing dumb.
"No, you foal," Applejack said jokingly. "So what's the scoop?"
"Why are you so interested?" Big Mac asked.
"What are ya talking about? Yer my brother. Ah'm interested in everything you do," Applejack said.
"Well, ah'm flattered," Big Mac replied, "but ah hardly think it's any of yer business."
"Really?" Applejack asked. "That means ya two must have done somethin'. Otherwise you wouldn't be keepin' no secrets."
"Ah've said it before, AJ, and ah'll say it again. Yer too smart for yer own good sometimes."
"Ah, ya big tease, why don't ya give me the scoop? Ah want to know what you and Twilight are up to."
"Why don't you tell me where you've been goin' all this time?" Big Mac asked. "You've never been this absent from the farm."
"Touché," Applejack said. "Ah suppose you can keep yer secrets if ah can keep mine."
"Thank you," Big Mac said."
"Say, where's Applebloom?" Applejack asked. "I thought she'd help us tend to the orchard today."
"She has the day off," Big Mac said. "She's with those friends of hers at the tree house."
"Oh, ah reckon that's okay. Didn't know Grannie Smith gave her the day off."
""Eeyup, she said the little filly deserved a break every once in a while. Said she was too young to be workin' so hard."
"Ah reckon that's true," Applejack said. "So, ya really ain't gonna say nothin' about yer date with Twilight?"
"Well, ah reckon there ain't nothin' to hide. Ah just like my privacy, that's all."
"Well, if there's nothin' to hide, ain't no reason for that privacy, then," Applejack said.
"Then there's some little thing to hide," Big Mac said.
"Ooh, now it's getting' juicy," Applejack said.
"Shut it, you. Nothin' serious happened," Big Mac said.
"That's a little disappointin'," Applejack said.
"What can ah say?" Big Mac asked with a smile. "It's not like Twilight's an easy mare. Though fer a brainiac, she's a mighty good kisser." Applejack's mouth fell open in shock.
"Ah thought you said you wouldn't tell me nothin'!" she said.
"Well, ah changed mah mind," Big Mac said, still smiling.
"Is she really that good?" Applejack asked.
"Eeyup," Big Mac said, and Applejack couldn't help but imagine Twilight's tongue in her mouth. She snapped herself out of it quickly, though, not wanting to betray how turned on she was.
"And you didn't do nothin' else?" Applejack asked.
"Nope," Big Mac said. "We left it at that. At least, until tomorrow night."
"You big tease, you," Applejack said.
"Eeyup," Big Mac said.
"What do ya reckon?" Applebloom asked her friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. The other two fillies just looked at her incongruously, shrugging their shoulders.
"We've already been over this," Sweetie Belle said. "We don't know what it'd be like to like another mare, so we should stop bothering trying to guess about it."
"You aren't the least bit curious?" Applebloom asked.
"Nope," Sweetie Belle said. "I lost my curiosity a long time ago."
"Wow, stuffy much?" Scootaloo asked. "You're acting more and more like your sister every day."
"Am not!" Sweetie Belle said, horrified at the thought of even remotely sounding like Rarity.
"Are too!" Scootaloo said, teasing her.
"All right, settle down," Applebloom said. "Ah reckon it ain't much different than likin' a colt."
"Really?" Scootaloo asked. Sweetie Belle gave a humph and turned away. "Why do you say that?"
"Because colts like fillies all the time, and that's normal. So when a filly likes a filly, maybe it's like that, or maybe it's like when a filly likes a colt, only different, ya know?" Scootaloo shook her head as if she was trying to clear it of confusion.
"You're going to give me a headache," she said. Applebloom laughed.
"Ah've already got a headache," she said. "This whole thing is just so confusin'. And Zecora didn't make it easier to understand."
"She said it was okay, though," Scootaloo said. "I at least got that part. Do you think it's okay, Applebloom?"
"Ah reckon ah don't know," Applebloom said. "What about you, Scootaloo?"
"I think it's fine," Scootaloo said. "If Rainbow Dash likes other mares, then it can't be that bad, can it? I mean, she's like the coolest pony ever, so whatever she does is okay with me."
"Ah reckon that's true of mah big sis as well," Applebloom said. "What about you, Sweetie Belle? How do you feel about it?"
"I'm not interested," Sweetie Belle said, turning away from her friends.
"Come on, you were interested when Zecora was talking about it," Scootaloo said.
"Yeah, but she was talking in rhymes. It's hard not to be interested in that."
"So let me try that," Scootaloo said. "What do you think of mares liking mares? Tell us, if you dare."
"I don't like it," Sweetie Belle said.
"What?" Scootaloo asked. "What's wrong with it?"
"It just ain't natural," Sweetie Belle said. "I don't think my sister would approve of it, so neither do I?"
"That's really harsh. So, you're just going to write off Rainbow Dash and Applebloom's sister?"
"Well, no," Sweetie Belle said, "not exactly. It's just I'm not sure about the whole thing, that's all."
"That's a lot better than saying you hate it," Scootaloo said.
"Yeah, that's true," Applebloom chimed in. "Ya shouldn't say ya flat out hate the idea, even if yer sure."
"I suppose," Sweetie Belle said.
"She'll come around," Scootaloo said. "Someday, I hope."
"Maybe," Sweetie Belle said, "but I doubt it."
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were making out in Celestia's bed, their tongues pushing into each other's mouths. They were in a compromising position, with their legs wrapped up around each other. It was then that they heard a rapid knocking at the door. No sooner had the two princesses untangled themselves that the door opened.
"Excuse me," Celestia said to the guard who came in, "but did I not specifically ask for privacy?"
"What are you talking about?" the guard asked before seeing Luna on the bed with her sister.
"What are you two doing...?" the guard asked.
"It's none of your business," Celestia said, while Luna tried to hide her blushing. "That's why I asked for privacy in the first place."
"Well, there's been a bit of an emergency at the archives, and I figured you needed to know right away."
"Unless they're burning down," Celestia said, "the archives can wait."
"I don't think so," the guard said. "It turns out that the scrolls concerning Discord have been stolen from the archive. We're not sure who's responsible for this, but they didn't leave a trace behind suggesting how they broke in. We think it was an inside job."
"That is serious," Celestia said. "Those scrolls contain information of how Discord was released. I'll have to look into it. You may go."
"Yes, your highness," the guard said, standing attention and turning to walk out of the room.
"Sorry about that, Luna," Celestia said, "but I really need to look into that."
"No problem," Luna said. "Our little fling can wait."
"It certainly can," Celestia said before rising from the bed and heading for the archives. If the notes on Discord had been stolen, who knows what kind of chaos could ensue?